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Please help! Question about Youth Spring Turkey Hunt

Elk.HunterElk.Hunter Posts: 42 Deckhand
in Ask the Law! #1
Been doing some research on the youth turkey hunts here in Florida, and would like to get my niece out in the woods this spring. She's seven, and absolutely LOVES to go out scouting with me. I harvested a gobbler on jumper creek wma a few years ago, and was thinking about taking her there for the youth hunt March 11-12. My question is, I've read that youth hunters under the age of 16, don't need a license, or that it is free. Could anyone clear this up for me? Also, if I do need to get her a license, permit etc... will she need a hunter's safety course? She shoots a .22 now, and is learning to shoot the crossbow (that's what she'd be using). I plan on getting her into a class at some point his year, but if it is a requirement for her to be legal, I'll have to find one to get her into before the youth season starts. Any help, or a point in the right direction is GREATLY appreciated. Thanks in advance!
A Bull elk lives by his nose.. and dies by it too.
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  • Elk.HunterElk.Hunter Posts: 42 Deckhand
    #2
    Oh! Almost forgot! Do I need to have MY turkey permit, license, etc... to be able to take her on the youth hunt?
    A Bull elk lives by his nose.. and dies by it too.
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  • Jack HexterJack Hexter New Port RicheyPosts: 5,124 Moderator
    #3
    Looks like you you do not need a permit unless you participate in the hunt to call the bird in or otherwise participate in the hunt other than supervision. Since you/she will be on a WMA, you both will need a management area permit. Since she does not need a license, probably does not need a Hunter Safety course but I could not find a direct answer on the FWC Website. I did find this answer
    FWC wrote:
    The “Hunter Safety Mentoring Exemption” was passed by the Florida Legislature to help persuade more people to experience hunting. It is designed to encourage experienced hunters to teach novice hunters about safety, ethics, wildlife, hunting skills and respect for Florida's outdoors.

    The hunter safety license requirement deferral allows persons born on or after June 1, 1975 and 16 years or older, who have not yet completed a hunter safety course, to purchase a hunting license and hunt under the supervision (voice command) of a qualified hunter. Hunters using the mentoring exemption need to be under the supervision of an adult, 21 years old or older, who has a valid hunting license or is exempt from the hunting license requirement and who has met the hunter safety requirement or is exempt from the hunter safety requirement.

    The mentoring exemption may be used to indefinitely defer the hunting safety license requirement as long as you continue to hunt under the supervision of a qualified hunter.

    If you complete a hunter safety course before your exemption license expires, you would then carry your hunter safety certification card with you when hunting. The hunter safety certificate card cancels out the "mentoring" statement on your license and allows you to hunt unsupervised.
    so it looks like you are good to go without the Hunter Safety course but you may have to purchase the under 16 license to qualify. To be safe, I'd call FWC 850-413-0084 for Hunter Safety, 850-487-1764 (legal) or 352-732-1225 (North East Region)

    Look at the below link for Youth Turkey Hunt.

    http://myfwc.com/media/2982032/YouthTurkeyHunt.pdf
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  • Elk.HunterElk.Hunter Posts: 42 Deckhand
    #4
    Thanks for your help Jack!
    Looks like I just need to get my turkey and management area permits (already have my license) and we're good to go!
    Can't express how much that helps!
    A Bull elk lives by his nose.. and dies by it too.
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  • Walker DogWalker Dog Posts: 2,155 Captain
    #5
    Might also want to check into whether or not a crossbow is a legal method of take for turkeys during the spring season on the WMA.
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  • Elk.HunterElk.Hunter Posts: 42 Deckhand
    #6
    Walker Dog wrote: »
    Might also want to check into whether or not a crossbow is a legal method of take for turkeys during the spring season on the WMA.

    Looked into it, and it states "bows, crossbows, and shotguns using no larger than #2 shot"
    Will need my crossbow permit, but I've got that ;)
    A Bull elk lives by his nose.. and dies by it too.
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